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User:Afadia/Draft Ankit Fadia Article

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Ankit Fadia
Born1985 (age 39–40)
Delhi, India
OccupationAuthor & Hacker
Alma materStanford University
GenreTechnology, entertainer
Notable worksFASTER: 100 Ways To Improve Your Digital life
SOCIAL: 50 Ways To Improve Your Professional Life

Ankit Fadia (born 1985) is an Indian white-hat computer hacker, author, and former MTV television host born in Delhi, India.[1][2] He was Macmillan's youngest published author and has since written several books on cybersecurity, tips and tricks related to technology and a fiction novel.[3][4][5][6] Fadia graduated from Stanford University.[6]

A number of his claims regarding his achievements have been disputed by others within the security industry and discredited by many magazines.[7][8] Fadia has been awarded the MTV Youth Icon of the Year award and served as the Brand Ambassador for the Digital India campaign.

Early life and education

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Ankit Fadia was born in Delhi, India and received his first computer from his parents at age 10.[6] He read a newspaper article about hacking, and began exploring the subject online. At 13, he created a website called "Hacking Truths" to share hacking tutorials, which gained international attention.[9] He acquired many readers and they encouraged him to write a book.[10][11] He wrote his first book An Unofficial Guide to Ethical Hacking at 14 years old, becoming Macmillan's youngest published author. The book received favourable responses in India, making Fadia popular in the country, and turned his hobby into a full-time profession.[9] However, he was also accused of plagiarism.[12] Fadia graduated from Stanford University with a degree in Management Science and Engineering.[6][13]

Career

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Ankit Fadia designed and led the Post Graduate Diploma in Cyber Security program, launched by the Institute of Management Technology's Centre for Distance Learning (CDL) in Calcutta in 2007.[14] At age 21, during a book launch event in Calcutta, he demonstrated live hacking techniques.[15] In 2008, he was named MTV Youth Icon of the Year.[13] Fadia began co-hosting the MTV show "What the Hack" with VJ Jose in 2009.[16][13] In 2009, Fadia stated that he was working in New York as an Internet security expert for "prestigious companies".[17]

By 2010 Fadia authored fourteen books on hacking and cyber security, including Google Hacking with Diwakar Goel, Encryption with Jaya Bhattacharjee and Intrusion Alert with Manu Zacharia, conducted multiple seminars, and ran a computer security consulting company.[16][18] Fadia's early speaking engagements included IIT Kharagpur, and he went on to present at over 600 venues across 25 countries.[13]

He released the book How to Unblock Everything on the Internet in 2012.[19] In addition, he started providing his own computer security courses, such as the "Ankit Fadia Certified Ethical Hacker" programme.[20] In 2012, Fadia was based in Silicon Valley. He endorsed the Flying Machine jeans brand of Arvind Mills.[21] By 2014, Fadia had published SOCIAL: 50 Ways To Improve Your Professional Life.[22] In 2018, Fadia published his first fiction novel, a hacking-themed thriller, The Casino Job.[23]

Hacking

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In 2002, a BBC article stated that at the age of 14, Fadia had defaced the website of an Indian magazine, CHIP magazine.[10] Fadia stated that the editor had offered him a job when informed about the defacement.[24] CHIP's editors denied the incident.[25]

At 16, Fadia claimed to have prevented a cyberattack of a website of a top Indian firm while working as an intelligence consultant for an undisclosed U.S. agency. He did not divulge the name of the organization he worked for, citing security reasons.[10] A government website was defaced by hacker groups AIC and WFD to mock Fadia for allegedly reporting Pakistani hackers' plans to a U.S. spy agency.[26] Then, the AIC challenged Fadia to prevent their planned defacement of a government customs website.[27]

In 2003, Fadia claimed that Pakistani hacktivists were paying Western hackers between $500 and $10,000 to deface Indian websites.[28]

His website has been hacked multiple times.[29] Security and cryptography experts expressed skepticism about Fadia's technical expertise and public claims, questioning the media's ability to accurately evaluate and report on his cybersecurity credentials.[29] Presenters at DEFCON in 2012 called Fadia a "charlatan".[1] Fadia responded to critics questioning his credibility by stating "If I had been fake, my growth would have stopped 10 years ago".[30]

Television and web shows

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MTV What The Hack

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Fadia started a television show on MTV India called MTV What the Hack!, which he co-hosted with José Covaco. On the show, Fadia gave tips on how to be safe in the virtual world.[31]

Unzipped By Dell

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In 2012, Dell India partnered with Ankit Fadia to create a series of short videos, to show tips and tricks for computers and mobile phones. These videos were shown on the Dell India Facebook page.[32][33]

Geek on the Loose

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In 2013, Ankit Fadia started a YouTube show Geek on the Loose, in collaboration with PING networks where he shared technology-related tips, tricks and apps.[34] The show was based on situations mentioned in his book FASTER: 100 Ways To Improve Your Digital Life.[35]

Awards and recognition

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References

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  1. ^ a b Benjamin Moe (1 August 2015). "A murky vendetta against a discredited ethical hacker". The Caravan. Archived from the original on 29 June 2022. Retrieved 19 February 2025.
  2. ^ Daniyal, Shoaib. "Ankit Fadia's biggest hack: Getting Modi government to make him a brand ambassador". Scroll.in. Archived from the original on 20 February 2025. Retrieved 20 February 2025.
  3. ^ "'How to live... 'appily' ever after'". The Times of India. Retrieved 18 September 2014.
  4. ^ Priyadarshini Pandey (14 November 2009). "Inside account". The Hindu. Chennai, India. Archived from the original on 4 February 2013. Retrieved 26 February 2013.
  5. ^ "Ankit Fadia: Everything official about him". The Times of India. 3 September 2001. Retrieved 6 December 2006.
  6. ^ a b c d Siddiqui Zaman, Rana (22 January 2010). "A clean hacker". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 17 February 2024. Retrieved 17 February 2024.
  7. ^ Shunol Doke (18 September 2012). "Ankit Fadia's website hacked again – Tech2". Archived from the original on 9 March 2018. Retrieved 29 March 2016.
  8. ^ "Forbes India Magazine – Ankit Fadia Revealed". Forbes Magazine. Archived from the original on 23 August 2022. Retrieved 19 September 2015.
  9. ^ a b "Success Decoded". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 22 January 2014. Retrieved 21 September 2014.
  10. ^ a b c "Indian hacker turns cyber cop". BBC News. 17 April 2002. Retrieved 26 February 2013.
  11. ^ "E2 labs to combat cyber crime in Hyderabad". Business Line. 19 April 2003. Archived from the original on 5 January 2013. Retrieved 19 December 2006.
  12. ^ Adhikari, Shubhankar. "Ethical hacker Ankit Fadia is a fake". Sunday Guardian. Archived from the original on 7 December 2021. Retrieved 19 September 2015.
  13. ^ a b c d e "Success decoded". The Telegraph. 12 January 2014. Archived from the original on 22 January 2014. Retrieved 5 February 2025.
  14. ^ "IMT launches course on cyber security". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 27 February 2025. Retrieved 27 February 2025.
  15. ^ "The inheritance of food". The Telegraph. 4 February 2007. Archived from the original on 8 February 2007. Retrieved 1 March 2013.
  16. ^ a b Jeshi, K. (3 July 2010). "Caught in the web". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 11 April 2013. Retrieved 5 February 2025.
  17. ^ "How the hack he does it!". The Hindu. Chennai, India. 16 November 2009. Archived from the original on 1 May 2013. Retrieved 1 March 2013.
  18. ^ "The inheritance of food". The Telegraph. 4 February 2007. Archived from the original on 8 February 2007. Retrieved 1 March 2013.
  19. ^ M, Sharan (8 February 2012). "Hacking into the future". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 11 April 2013. Retrieved 15 January 2025.
  20. ^ "The inheritance of food". The Telegraph. 4 February 2007. Archived from the original on 8 February 2007. Retrieved 1 March 2013.
  21. ^ Ratna Bhushan (21 October 2012). "Flying Machine endorsement: Ethical Hacker Fadia replaces Abhishek Bacchan". The Economic Times. Archived from the original on 13 May 2012. Retrieved 1 March 2013.
  22. ^ Bhattacharya, Budhaditya (8 August 2014). "Tipping points". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 15 January 2025. Retrieved 25 February 2025.
  23. ^ Kaur, Gurnaaz (21 August 2018). "A job well done!". The Tribune. Archived from the original on 27 February 2025. Retrieved 27 February 2025.
  24. ^ Priyadarshini Paitandy (14 September 2009). "Inside Account". The Hindu. Chennai, India. Retrieved 1 March 2013.
  25. ^ Charles Assissi (27 February 2013). "Ankit Fadia Revealed". Forbes India. Archived from the original on 23 August 2022. Retrieved 27 February 2013.
  26. ^ K. Srinivas Reddy (28 April 2002). "This hacker has a different message". The Hindu. Chennai, India. Archived from the original on 21 December 2008. Retrieved 26 February 2013.
  27. ^ K. Srinivas Reddy (30 April 2002). "Hacker threat to CBEC website". The Hindu. Chennai, India. Archived from the original on 21 December 2008. Retrieved 26 February 2013.
  28. ^ Suelette Dreyfus (5 August 2003). "Hacktivism through the eyes of an infiltrator". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 26 February 2013.
  29. ^ a b Shubhankar Adhikari (19 February 2012). "Ethical hacker Ankit Fadia is a fake". The Sunday Guardian. Archived from the original on 7 December 2021. Retrieved 26 February 2013.
  30. ^ Rana Siddiqui Zaman (22 January 2010). "A clean hacker". The Hindu. Chennai, India.
  31. ^ "From this Diwali, MTV will be more than just music – Money – DNA". Daily News and Analysis. 12 October 2009. Archived from the original on 29 July 2012. Retrieved 8 January 2012.
  32. ^ "Dell India in association with Ankit Fadia presents "Unzipped: By Dell and Ankit Fadia". India Infoline News Service. Retrieved 21 September 2012.
  33. ^ "Dell India in association with Ankit Fadia presents "Unzipped: By Dell and Ankit Fadia". EFYTimes.com. Archived from the original on 5 February 2015. Retrieved 21 September 2012.
  34. ^ "Short-cuts for the tech savvy". The New Indian Express. Archived from the original on 5 February 2015. Retrieved 21 September 2012.
  35. ^ "Ankit Fadia aims at stretching technology limits". Hindustan Times. Archived from the original on 7 November 2013. Retrieved 21 September 2012.
  36. ^ "Ankit Fadia appointed Digital India brand ambassador; govt confirms it". The Indian Express. 25 December 2015. Archived from the original on 13 February 2025. Retrieved 13 February 2025.
  37. ^ "Media Release IT Leader Awards 2012" (PDF). Singapore Computer Society. Retrieved 23 September 2014.
  38. ^ The CMAI 5th National Awards. Cmaievents.com (8 June 2011). Retrieved 2 August 2013.
  39. ^ "Ankit Fadia|World Economic Forum: Global Shapers". World Economic Forum. Archived from the original on 5 February 2015. Retrieved 23 September 2014.
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